


Love For A Wounded Soldier

by sokkamizuki



Category: Rune Factory (Video Games), Rune Factory Frontier
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Light-Hearted final chapter, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rune Factory Frontier spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:29:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26085718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sokkamizuki/pseuds/sokkamizuki
Summary: || Out of all the villagers in Trampoli, it’s the downcast and soft-spoken carpenter that catches Raguna’s eyes the most, and Kross can’t figure out why. The town has so much to offer, so many others that would be more deserving of his time, and yet, he picks Kross. He’s the one that Raguna talks to the most, the one that he visits each and every day to give a gift—the one that makes Raguna’s eyes shine so brightly when he spots him. Raguna always looks so happy when he sees Kross.And as selfish as it was to admit, Kross felt the same way. ||My work for the 2020 Rune Factory Frontier Big Bang!Also known as the excuse I needed to finally write out this ship from like... 2010, 2011, I think.Thank you to the mods for organizing the whole event, thank you to my wonderful partner for being patient with me, and thank you to anyone in the community and, well, anyone who just happens to read this for... well, reading it! This was very fun to do!Also! Please take a look at the accompanying art my partner made for this fic! I love it and I've been staring at it for fifty years:https://pazsune.tumblr.com/post/627371838115348481/my-rune-factory-big-bang-2020-illustrations-to-go
Relationships: Kross/Raguna (Rune Factory)
Kudos: 17
Collections: Rune Factory Big Bang





	1. Spring

**Author's Note:**

> *rolls in with heelies*  
> fair warning to all ye who are going to read this story--this story contains mention of violence and war, and all the nasty stuff that can come from it. I do NOT go into graphic detail, but please keep that in mind that I also don't try and shy away from it. if you ever feel the need to stop reading the story and collect yourself (or even stop flatout) then please do so! fanfic reading should be something enjoyable, and if this story is doing the exact opposite, then please be careful!
> 
> stay safe out there kids  
> *goes backwards in my heelies*

Every time his eyes opened, Kross could feel his heart stop for just a second.

It washed over him each morning without fail. Anxiety and worry, dread and panic—fear that he’d open his eyes and be greeted with the barrack’s stone ceiling and not the crafted wooden ceiling he built himself. When his eyes opened, Kross expected to hear his old commanding officer to bark out orders, the sharp ring of a bell as it cried out for attention, the screams of men and women filling the air as they were attacked. 

Every time he woke up, he woke up afraid. His heart would stop out of fear, out of panic that the quiet life of Trampoli had been nothing but a dream. And then, after just a moment, it would keep it going and he would come to his senses. Like clockwork, repeating over and over. 

Today had been no different, and as the sight of his home’s ceiling and the sounds of birds chirping outside started to sink in, Kross could feel himself relax. His heart would start to beat again, and his chest would slowly start to loosen, until his body stopped shaking and he could finally breathe.

Once he was sure the rest of his body was fine did Kross finally drag himself out of bed and started to get ready for the day. It was an hour earlier than his usual waketime, the morning sky holding more blue than it did orange, but his schedule was going to be a hectic one for today. There were crops that needed to be planted, tools that needed sharpening, and no doubt more repairs that needed done with the shift of seasons. It was better to get a head start today. 

When Kross finally walked out to his fields, the sounds of crickets were starting to die out and the birds were beginning to take their place. He stood in the doorway for only a brief moment, but it was refreshing moment. The morning was... peaceful. Trampoli was peaceful and Kross was forever thankful for it. Toiling the field and planting cabbage and potato seeds weren’t the exciting adventures he once caveated when he was younger... But, that was fine. There was something wonderful about the mundanity of chores, however tedious it was. 

Today was different, though. 

Kross was only just finishing up plod out the first half of his field when he heard shuffling coming from the front of his house. Monsters were his immediate thought, and Kross started to... well, actually, he just kept on with his chores. The monsters in this area weren’t all that malicious; so long as they weren’t messing around with the lumber and stone, then Kross was content to leave them be and keep focus on his work. 

He only started to pay attention when he heard a young woman’s voice pop up amidst the skerfuffle. “Shoo! _Shoo!_ What part of ‘shoo’ do you not understand?!”

Anette.

It was odd to see (er, hear) her at this hour. She was always up earlier and Kross would catch her, especially since he was usually the first one on her route. But still, that wouldn’t be for another few minutes. That she was already delivering mail this early in the morning... How unexpected.

It piqued Kross’ interest enough that he started to make his way towards the fence out front, not bothering in trying to walk quieter. He assumed that Anette would have heard it.

But, as usual, she didn’t—although Kross couldn’t fault her for it. He never did, of course, but this time, he spotted her in the middle of scolding the Woolies behind her, her face almost as red as her jacket. “Seriously, every day with you guys—and today, of all days! Can’t you give me a break for just one single—"

“Anette?”

“— _BAH_!”

The mailwoman and the monsters all jumped in unison, whirling around to face him. Anette even had her carrier bag in her hands, as if she was ready to take aim—but she stopped just short once she saw him. "Ah—Kross! I didn’t see you!”

She never does, but that is a statement Kross keeps to himself. “Sorry,” he murmured, eyeing her bag for only a moment before looking back at her. “It’s early... You’re usually not here by now.”

Annette paused, as if just now remember time and how early it was. She hummed in thought, even glancing up at the sky to affirm the time, before clapping her hands together. “Ah, I guess I am! Well, I do have a new route to go by, starting today.”

“Is that so...”

“Yep! Someone’s finally moved into that old farmhouse by Mist’s place.”

That caught Kross’ attention. His eyes didn’t widen much but the surprise was clear on his face and he spared a look over at the path leading down the farmhouse. “Really? I had no idea someone was planning to move there.”

“Me neither,” Anette replied exasperatedly, letting out a sigh. “I got the notice just this morning. I swear, I try to spread the word out that there’s an application process for a reason but—agh, never mind. That’s why I’m here, though! I need to make sure this route is memorized before I deliver anyone any mail.”

“I see...” His voice started to trail off while his eyesight did the same, looking back down at her mailbag. He had noticed something off about it initially, but now that Anette had mentioned practicing her route... “Your mailbag... It looks lighter than usual. Did you bring any mail with you?”

“Ah.... No.”

Anette practically deflated like a red and yellow balloon, her shoulders sagging as she bowed her head low. Even the monsters behind her seemed apologetic, bowing their heads in synch. “I, ah... just did this to practice this morning’s route. You know, figure out the route and all before delivering mail. I didn’t want to risk anything happening to the mail, so I left it behind—oh, but don’t worry!”

Just as quickly as she deflated did Anette rise back up, holding up her chin with triumphant mailwoman pride. “It won’t take me long to learn this route. Once it’s burned into my memory, I’ll be back at the post office before you know it! Whatever packages you have will be delivered safely and promptly.”

It’s not like he was *expecting* packages, but again, Kross kept that little tidbit to himself. Instead he gave Anette a short nod before turning back around, already shifting his attention to his field. “I wish you luck.”

Kross was already focusing on planting his turnips by th,e time Anette gave him a response. He didn’t see her nod or her astounding salute, but she never seemed to mind. “See you in a few minutes!” she called out before running off, the Woolies following not even a second later. 

The news of a new farmer stayed in the back of Kross’ mind as he worked, but otherwise, he didn’t give it much thought. It was not a malicious dismissal, he just... didn’t think more of it. If he came across this new farmer, then that was fine—and the same went for if they never interacted at all. 

... Although if this farmer was anything like Mist, it wouldn’t be long before they introduced themselves as well.

Regardless, the rest of the morning went on with little fanfare. Indeed, it wasn’t long before Anette returned to his house (after he scared her again) with his mail in tow (the inn needed repairs again) and left to start her new route (with four Woolies following this time). But that was it. Morning came and went, and by the time Kross finished with the fields, he retreated back inside for lunch.

He went through his schedule as he ate. Once he finished eating, then Kross would look into what repairs the inn needed, negotiate a payment, and then set off for materials before 2. He could get everything he needed today, and perhaps ask Sister Stella if the church needs repairs as well, and then maybe tomorrow Kross could start working on the—

_Tap-tap-tap._ “Hello?”

His heart stopped, just for a moment. It was a stranger’s voice—it was just a stranger knocking at his door. It was nothing more, nothing but an innocent occurrence, but it still made his stomach sink.

There was another knock. “Um... is anyone home?”

The new farmer. It had to be.

Slowly, reluctantly, Kross pulled himself away from his counter and made his way to his door. He opened the door—

And the young man behind it quickly stepped back, surprised. “Oh!”

As expected, Kross did not recognize the startled face behind his door. It looked to be a young man, close to his age, with short brown hair that just barely covered his eyes—deep blue, he noted, like the night sky on a particularly clear day. His features were soft, but Kross noted the bit of lean muscle underneath his clothing, befitting a farmer, of course.

It was a new face, Kross thought to himself. Just a stranger. Nothing more, nothing less.

“Sorry!” the farmer said, his smile apologetic. “I was starting to worry nobody was home... Are you Kross?”

He gave the farmer one more look-over, searching for any hint of a weapon, anything that should have warned Kross about the stranger’s intentions. But it was just a stranger. It was just a stranger. “Yes,” Kross finally answered, opening his door the rest of the way open. “You’re the new farmer, aren’t you?”

The young man gave a quick nod, relaxing. “That’s right! I’m Raguna,” he greeted. “I’m living in the old farmhouse—next to Mist’s house.”

Raguna. He could remember that name. “Raguna,” Kross echoed, just as the stranger—just as Raguna, had said it. “I know the old farmhouse. I fixed it up a very long time ago... I hope you find it suitable.”

He didn’t know why Raguna lit up at that bit of news, nor why his smile grew one size more. “It’s a wonderful house,” Raguna said earnestly. “It seems like you did a great job. Thank you.”

“Hm.” Kross’ gaze turned downward, his eyebrows furrowed in thought and confusion. It had hardly been a huge project, and yet, here was Raguna, praising him for it anyways. What a strange man. “... I can fix it up even further.”

He raised his head up and met Raguna’s eyes. “If you ever feel the need to make your house bigger,” Kross continued, “or add a barn to your farm... I can do so, so long as you give me the materials I need and pay a fee.”

It was a basic business spiel, hardly any different from all the other times he’s given it. But he noticed the way Raguna lit up in something akin to excitement, eyes shining, sparkling, _sincere_. “Really? That’s great! I’ll be sure to stop by... Err, when I have everything ready.”

“Right...” Nothing about Raguna’s excitement seemed suspicious to Kross. Rather, it was... new. Confusing, almost. “In that case, I’ll be going on with the rest of this existence...”

He was already starting to close the door when it seemed to have finally clicked for Raguna, the young man quickly giving another nod. “Right! I’ll leave you to your work, then. I’ll see you around, Kross!”

One more smile. He gave Kross one more radiant smile before turning on his heel and walking away. Kross stopped, and just for a moment, he watched Raguna head back in the general direction of his home, still smiling as ever.

What a strange young man.

...

Every time Kross woke up, he felt his heart race with fear and dread. Every morning, he would wake to a tight chest. Every morning, his blanket made him feel trapped and he wanted to wretch the blasted thing off of him. And every morning, he’d calm down and force himself to go about his day. Annette would come by and drop by with the mail, but she was the only common occurrence in his schedule.

Except for Raguna.

Every day, ever since that first day, Raguna would come to Kross’ house. It was mostly in the morning, 10 AM, 11 AM, around then, but it wasn’t for only a minute. No, Raguna would show up in the early hours when Kross had some free time, and he would stay and... talk.

The first time or so, Kross had been worried that it was just to get information out of him, but that idea was quickly tossed out the window. Raguna asked him a few things—how long he had been living in this house, how well did he know the other villagers, what did he know about that odd island shaped like a whale—and Kross would answer to the best of his abilities. Sometimes, he would ask him questions that Kross was sure Raguna already knew—and yet, he was attentive each time Kross answered. As if he was interested in them.

When the questions ran out, Raguna moved on to other topics. The weather, the crops, the monsters that could be found and tamed in the area. Whatever it seemed had piqued Raguna’s interest that day, he asked Kross. And Kross would patiently answer each time.

And no matter what type of answer he gave him, Raguna would smile. He always greeted Kross with a smile and he would always leave with one. It was never fake or forced upon. It... was genuine. A warm smile, a sincere one, a _sweet_ one that Kross couldn’t help but focus on each and every time.

A smile for him. And Kross couldn’t _fathom_ why.

One day, Raguna visit at his usual time—except on this day, he held a fresh turnip in his hand, no doubt picked that very morning. When he first spotted the (admittedly gorgeous) vegetable, Kross assumed that it was just Raguna showing off his harvest for the day, as Erik liked to do.

Imagine his surprise, then, when Raguna held out the crop for him. “Here,” Raguna said. “Take it.”

His eyes widened, and Kross’ gaze wandered from the turnip to the young man in front of him. “Is... this for me?” he asked, the shock and surprise clear in his tone.

It dawned on him rather quickly that his words could be seen as rude, and at once, Kross regretted how unappreciative he seemed. But it seemed like that hadn’t bothered Raguna. He still had that bright charming smile plastered on his face, and he hadn’t pulled the turnip away. “Of course,” he said. “I want you to have it.”

“... As, a gift?”

“Of course!”

.... No, Kross was still horribly confused.

“... Um, sorry,” Raguna murmured, his smile faltering while he turned sheepish. “This must be a little strange. You see—Mist once told me that it’s good luck to give away the first crop of the season, instead of just selling it or cooking it myself. Something about sharing a good harvest with everyone else gives way for more... Although I imagine it’s always because she wanted one of my turnips.” Raguna chuckled to himself, and he seemed to have regained some of his pep back. “But this time, I... wanted to share my first crop with you. If, that’s alright.”

‘With you’. Two simple words, and yet, something about them made Kross’ heart skip a beat.

“I see,” was all Kross responded with at first, as those two words echoed in his mind. With him. Raguna wanted to share his first harvest with him. How could Kross say to not that?

Carefully, as if afraid of dropping it, Kross took the turnip. “Thank you, Raguna,” he said, and he could feel the corners of his lip tug upward. It was nowhere near a bright a smile as one of Raguna’s... But it was a smile all the same. “I will cook with it tonight, to make the most of it.”

When Kross lifted his gaze up, he could see that Raguna was still stunned, as if processing that yes, Kross had accepted his turnip. For a moment, Kross had to wonder if it was really _that_ surprising, and briefly started to reevaluate his life choices—but then Raguna _lit_ _up._

Raguna was _beaming_ , and _smiling_ , and the way he smiled made it seem as if his blue eyes were shining. He had never seen someone so happy after giving away a turnip.

“That’s great!” Raguna remarked. “I’m glad I got a chance to share my harvest with you! I’m glad that...” 

Kross waited for Raguna to continue, but the young man was hesitating. He opened his mouth and then he closed it once, and then he opened his mouth again—but no words came out of them, and Kross noticed how... pink his cheeks were getting. “I-I should leave you to your business!”

Oh. Why did that seem so disappointing to him?

Raguna went on, “I should, head out, in any case. I wanted to share my crops with some of the other townspeople to. I know I’ve promised one turnip to Mist. And Erik mentioned something about wanting to see my attempts.” Another chuckle left Raguna, although Kross noticed a hint of nervousness in his laugh. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then!”

Raguna gave Kross a short wave before he turned around and started to head out, leaving behind a still-quite-stunned Kross and a delicious-looking turnip. He would be back tomorrow, Kross reminded himself.

And when tomorrow came, Raguna did come back.

He came back with another turnip. Not as fresh and new as the one from yesterday—but it was another gift from Raguna. A gift for him. And that, like the first one, became one of many gifts that Raguna gave Kross.

It wasn’t always a turnip. Sometimes, he would get a potato or a strawberry. Other times, he would drop by during lunch and gift him a dish. But every day, no matter how sunny it was or how fierce it rained—Raguna would stop by and he would give Kross something from his farm, and he would stay by just long enough to have a conversation with him. He always greeted Kross with a smile—and Raguna always left with one. And Kross began to notice how much brighter it seemed each day.

And slowly but surely was Kross starting to realize how _attached_ he became to that smile.

He looked forward to it—he looked forward to _Raguna_ , stopping by and talking with him. He looked forward to taking a break from his work and talking with the farmer, regardless of what they talked. Kross looked forward to his blue eyes and his bright smile, and his warm laugh, oh his laugh. When he heard Raguna’s laugh, each time Kross could swear his face grew hotter and he looked forward to hearing it again the next day.

The pollen-filled air grew dry and the harsh sun grew strong, as the seasons began to shift, and Raguna became all Kross looked forward to.

And oh, it felt horribly wrong.

Raguna made Kross feel _happy_ , and it felt wrong. Raguna could make him forget about his scars, about the blood stained on his hands, about the Empire, and it felt wrong. Raguna, kind Raguna, made Kross feel as if he was someone deserving of happiness and companionship, deserving of his smile—

_And it felt wrong_.

...

There came a night where his dreams changed.

In his dream, he was not a soldier but a carpenter. He was not out in the barracks or the battlefield or in a monster’s den, but instead, in his house in Trampoli. His dream was not filled with fallen companions or screaming villagers—it was just him.

And Raguna, standing right in front of him.

Raguna, whose deep blue eyes were widened and full of fear and _disgust_ as he looked at Kross. He could see the young farmer step back from him, making for the door, all while he _stared_ at Kross like some sort of monster.

And when Kross finally looked over himself, he saw the red on his hands. Blood, he knew all too well, staining his hands. And it stayed, no matter how hard or how frantic he tried to wipe it off. And Kross tried, and he _tried_ , so desperate to rid his hands of blood, but _it stayed_.

And Raguna finally could see it.

Kross woke in that all-too familiar panic he always had: his chest felt tight, he was breathing too fast, and it felt like he was suffocating under his blanket. The difference, of course, was the cause. The Empire didn’t occupy his thoughts—Raguna did.

There was going to a day when Raguna found out about the type of person Kross was. It might come the next season, or the season after that, but that day will happen regardless of Kross’ wishes. He would find out and become disgusted with Kross’ history, and he would want nothing to do with it.

And it would hurt, there was no doubt about that. But it would be the right thing to do.

He made up his mind soon after.

Morning came and went, and like clockwork, Raguna arrived at his house close to noon. In his hands, this time, was a plate of pickled turnip—no doubt made just minutes before his arrival. “Kross!” he called out once he spotted Kross. “I’m glad I caught you. I made some pickled turnip today! They’re from yesterday’s harvest, but I’m sure they’ll taste just as good!”

Raguna held out the plate, and he waited for Kross to take it. And in that moment, Kross wanted to.

But he stopped himself and just stayed put. “... You should stop this.”

“... What?” That warm smile started to falter, and Raguna’s eyebrows furrowed in concern. “What do you mean?”

“This,” Kross forced himself to say, gesturing over to him. “How kind you are, to me, the fact that you always come and visit me, giving me gifts... You should stop.”

He couldn’t bear looking at Raguna. He saw how quickly his smile fell, the pained look he had in his eyes—Kross couldn’t bring himself to keep looking at him, and let his gaze fall downward. “Kross...,” he heard Raguna speak, but he didn’t dare let him finish, least it be enough to change his mind.

“You’re wasting your time with a dead man like me.” It hurt. It pained Kross to sever this bond already—but he must, for their sake. “I don’t deserve your kindness... Not an ounce of it. For your sake, please—

“Do not bother with me ever again. I’m not worth your time.”

His words hung in the air, and it felt like an eternity was spent in that silence, neither saying a word. He wished Raguna would say something, _anything_. It didn’t matter to Kross whether his words were spiteful and bitter about his rejection, or whether they were hurt and sorrowful over Kross’ sharp words. It didn’t matter to him if it was Raguna remaining stubborn and insisting on staying.

(Although that would be nice and hopeful).

But after a few moments, the young man took in a deep breath—shaky, Kross noted with a twist of his stomach—and spoke lowly, “Is that truly how you feel?”

_No_ , he wanted to say, the words right at his tongue. _I want to keep seeing your smile and hearing you laugh and keeping it that way. I want to keep talking with you._ Kross could say those words and so much more, right now, and maybe fix this mess before it was too late. If only he was stronger.

If only Weber hadn’t stayed so weak, then maybe he could take back those words. “Yes,” Kross finally said.

Again, silence overtook the room, neither man saying a thing. With what little courage he had left, Kross forced himself to look up at the farmer, if only to see his reaction.

And something _ached_ deep, deep within himself when he saw Raguna forcing a smile. As if he was trying to assure Kross that he was fine. “Alright,” he finally said, and it hurt him. “I won’t be a bother to you anymore.”

Kross watched Raguna settle the plate of pickled turnips on the table before giving a brief bow. “I’ll see you around town, then,” Raguna said.

And then he turned around and headed out, the door giving a soft _click!_ once it was closed.

Left alone, Kross pushed down that twisted feeling inside of him, _down_ until he could pretend it didn’t sting anymore and he could focus on the rest of his schedule. It was the right thing to do, he insisted to himself. It was what he needed to do. For both of their sake. It was better that Raguna never got involved with him.

Kross took in a very deep breath, and he forced himself to ignore how tight his chest was in favor of more important. There were crops that needed to be harvested before the shift in season, tools that needed more sharpening to be done, and no doubt more repairs that could occupy his mind, just for a moment.

The less he focused on Raguna, the better it would be for everyone. That’s what he kept needing to believe.


	2. Summer

_Screaming._

_Screaming filled the air around him, filling his ears and demanding his undivided attention. All around him, he heard men and women and companions screaming as every building around them burst into flames, and they all run away, trampling over one another, desperate to get away. The air around him was hot and stifling, smoke filling his lungs until it felt like he couldn’t breathe. All around him, it reeked of destruction and chaos and death, so familiar, so persistent. Following the Empire every step of the way._

_And in front of him lied the beast._

_Grimoire._

_The legends did the dragon no honor. It was even larger than he could have ever imagined, a hulking beast that towered over any home, teeth as sharp as swords. It roared ferociously, and its deep cry echoed into the night, and for a moment, Kross was deaf to all the screams around him, and the roar was all he could focus on._

_It was so hot. Everything around him was burning, the stench overwhelming his sense as carnage erupted around him. All this death and blood—for the sake of a monster that was all too happy to defend itself by whatever means necessary._

_All for the Empire, his Emperor said. All this death would be the glory of the Empire._

_But how many more bodies would it take until the Empire reached that glory?_

_It felt like he was suffocating from it all. His lungs begged for air that would not come, and his body would not move, no matter how badly his mind pleaded it to. Kross stayed as still as a statue as everything went to Hell, even as the fearsome dragon reared its head over to him and it opened its maw wide, until Kross could see a bright orange glow from the back of its throat as it—_

With a panicked gasp, he bolted up from his bed.

He woke up trembling like a newborn, his heart beating so hard, for a split second, Kross worried it would burst out of him. His black hair clung to his forehead, and when he looked down upon his hands, he noticed how white the knuckles had turned from how tightly he was gripping his sheets. The air was stiflingly humid and drab, a sign that summer had finally reared its head over to Trampoli—but it was unlike the blistering air that came with burning buildings, and so Kross gladly took it.

His breathing was shakier than it had ever been before, and his chest was too _tight,_ it was unbearable. Painful, even. With a shuddering gasp, Kross leaned downward, and tried to steady his breathing and calm his hands, and tried, oh he tried, to stop trembling.

But no matter he did, the villagers’ screams still rang in his ears.

He needed to get out.

Kross spared a meager glance at the clock, just to see the time—and in spite of it being nearly midnight, he tossed his blanket off of his person and got out of his bed. He didn’t bother changing out of his sleepwear; he didn’t have the patience to, honestly, and it’s not like he’d need any protection from the cold. Once his shoes were on, all Kross did was make sure the door was left unlocked before he headed out into the night. Hoping a bit of fresh air could calm his nerves.

Of course, the second he stepped outside, Kross knew that bit of hope might have been in vain.

For the most part, Kross had gotten used to the differences between the Empire and Trampoli. The fact that the weather shifted from season to season was one such difference—both good and bad. He never would have gotten the calming breeze of spring, or the beautiful and yet somber tone of fall back in the Empire.

But he also wouldn’t have gotten summer there either and that was one thing the Empire had over Trampoli. Summer, he quickly realized his first time, was stifling. Good for crops and flowers, as well as business, but for a man attuned to the harsh winter of the Sech Empire, it was... horrible, really. The nights were even worse at times, humid and muggy and yet, just warm enough that he had no choice but to open his window each night. They were dreadful conditions, and not in the slightest ideal for him to make his walk.

But he’d rather deal with the insufferable perks of summer than try to fall back asleep. So, after a few seconds of looking around, Kross started to walk, in no direction. He let his feet decide the path; it didn’t matter where he ended up. So long as he could get his nightmares out of his head, then he would be fine wherever he was.

In hindsight, maybe Kross should have focused more attention on his path.

Whenever he went on his nightly walks, his feet often guided him to one place—the church, a place of solace for him. His soul was as damaged and damned as any other soldiers, but the church... the church made him feel welcomed. Or perhaps that was entirely on Sister Stella’s part; she was oft welcoming and kind when he came in, that might have rubbed off on the rest of the church. Regardless—while his mind remained unfocused, his body followed the path to the church rather easily.

Unfortunately, his body forgot what else was on the way.

If he recognized the path right away, perhaps, Kross might have had the chance to turn around. Save himself the embarrassment, or at least, any more feelings of utter despair and heartbreak. But alas, Kross has not noticed that this path seemed familiar, or that the house along the path still had the lights on, or that the field next to him looked freshly tilled and watered, as if the farmer in question was still—

“Kross?”

Ah, that voice still made his heart stop each time.

Kross stopped dead in his track and without thought, turned his head to face Raguna. It was hard to tell who was more surprised to see the other—or, perhaps, surprised didn’t fit, not for him. It was... a mixture of surprise and fear that struck him the second he heard Raguna’s voice.

Mainly fear. “Kross,” Raguna repeated, as he set his watering can aside. Farming this late would be dangerous, if not confusing—but one thing at a time. “I didn’t think I’d see you this late at night.”

“Neither did I...,” Kross admitted, and he ducked his head down and pried his eyes away from the farmer. He had done (somewhat) well when it came to avoiding Raguna. But now that he was here, just a few feet in front of him, Raguna occupied his mind once more. And that needed to change _fast_. “Forgive me. I hadn’t meant to interrupt your farming duties, even this late at night. I... I will leave you to your crops, of course.”

Kross barely finished his sentence before he started to turn back on his heel. The walk had been a mistake, he decided thusly. The remnants of that nightmare had faded away, and in its place, was that same sense of shame and guilt. He should have stayed at home. The bit of relief this walk gave him was not worth the way his stomach twisted and his heart ached at Raguna’s face.

But before Kross could even take a step, he felt a hand grip his wrist and stop him in his tracks. “Wait!”

Anyone else, that hand on his body might have made his heart stop with fear and panic. And, yes, his heart still stopped when he felt Raguna’s hand—but it wasn’t quite the same. “Wait, please... I’m, glad you came here, actually. I’ve been wanting to talk for a while now.”

That wasn’t exactly helping his heart, was it? His mind jumped to the worst-case scenario right away, and every inch of his body wished to pull his hand away, and make up an excuse... But, in spite of himself, Kross stayed put. “... You wish to talk to me?”

“I do,” Raguna said with a quick nod. “I do.”

“... Very well...” He hoped he would not regret this. “Talk, then.”

Raguna did not immediately talk. It seemed he was surprised by Kross’ acceptance, left speechless in fact. Or, perhaps, he came unprepared for this talk. The farmer sputtered for a moment, his eyes darting this way and that as if trying to think of what to say.

And then, they darted up and meet Kross’ gaze. And for a brief moment, Kross could swear Raguna’s expression became hopeful. “I want to keep seeing you.”

That wasn’t _exactly_ what he thought Raguna would say... But all things considered, it beat everything else his mind was making up. Still, it was a little surprising to hear, and the shock was clear on Kross’ face. If nothing else, at least he wasn’t the only one who seemed surprised by what came out of Raguna’s mouth.

But the farmer kept going. “Y-you know what I mean!” Raguna quickly stammered, and despite how late and dark it was, Kross could swear hints of red appeared on his cheek. “I... I want to keep talking with you. Visiting you. Even if all we end up doing is talking about the weather, and you’re just humoring me, I... I really enjoyed our time together. And I want to keep doing that... Um, the talking, I mean!”

He could feel Raguna’s grip grow tighter on his wrist. “I won’t pretend to know or even understand whatever it is that’s troubling you. And... and if you truly don’t want any part with me anymore, then I promise, I won’t bother you about this again. I just want you to know that even if spending my time with you can be considered ‘a waste of time’, whatever that means... I don’t mind in the slightest.”

“... So. Could we, talk again?”

Just as before, Kross did not deserve such a kindness. Here was Raguna, a man who had a dozen villagers to be friends with, who was well within his right to cut Kross out of his life after everything he had said. Here he was, extending his hand out to Kross once again in spite of what happened. No, Kross did not deserve this wonderful opportunity in the slightest. It would be nothing short of selfish, for a killer like himself to take advantage of someone so wonderful.

So be it, then. “... I still believe I don’t deserve your kindness,” Kross said after a very long silence. Smiling in spite of himself, however small and bittersweet it was. “But I will not be able to change your mind, will I?”

Raguna answered, lightly, “I’m afraid not,” and then returned Kross’ smile with one of his own.

Just the sight made it easier to breathe again. “Very well... If you truly do not mind being in my despair-filled presence, then... I would like to talk with you some more.”

It was like a switch flipped inside of Raguna. Where there was hesitation, now there was excitement. Where his eyes watched Kross nervously, worried, now they were shining, radiant. Giddy, almost. “That’s great!” Raguna exclaimed loudly and he gave Kross’ wrist a (very) strong squeeze. “That’s great, that’s—that’s wonderful to hear, Kross! Would you like to come inside, then?”

“Ah, that I would... But, it is very late and I have a very busy day ahead of me...”

Again, that switch flipped inside of Raguna. Only, instead of there being excitement and cheerfulness, there was... embarrassment. “O-oh, right... I, um, didn’t realize it had gotten so late.”

Kross nodded in understanding, his smile growing without meaning to. “It is an easy mistake to make,” he assured Raguna. “I shall see you tomorrow then?”

“Of course! I’ll be over my usual time, promise... Um, and if I’m not, I probably just overslept is all.” He watched Raguna raise his hand and rub the back of his neck, sheepish over his little blunder. And then, it finally seemed to click to Raguna that he was still holding onto Kross’ wrist.

He quickly pulled his hand away, and Kross could swear his face turned brighter. “Sorry! Sorry... I’ll, let you go home, then! Be careful walking home, alright?”

“Of course,” Kross assured him. It would not hurt to spend another minute or two talking with Raguna, but he knew they both needed rest. And, perhaps, he should save the poor young man any further embarrassment. “I shall see you tomorrow, then...”

And with that, Kross finally turned around and started to make his way back home, eager to return to his bed and finally rest. He had something to look forward to tomorrow, after all.

...

The following days grew harsher in terms of weather, Trampoli finally facing the harsh force of summer—but with it came Raguna’s daily visits, and that helped make things a little more bearable. Kross had never truly forgotten what it was like to be in the young man’s presence but talking with him again felt nice. Really nice, actually. The dreams would never go away, and they may never will—but whenever he saw Raguna’s bright smile, for a moment, Kross could forget they existed.

For a while, Raguna talked about new occurrences in his life. He mentioned how his summer crops were going and how he might have spent more on tomatoes than intended, as well as the new monsters that were dwelling in his barn. He talked about his relationship with the strange girl at the mansion, and his recent adventures in the cavern underneath the old ruins. Raguna talked mostly of his own life, his ventures, and his plans but Kross did not mind that arrangement in the slightest. Seeing such a bright and cheerful outlook was... quite nice, actually.

Today had been no different in that regard.

“There’s a bunch of weird caverns in Trampoli, actually.” Raguna was leaning against his post, his head resting in his hand as he watched Kross work. “There’s Whale Island, there’s the ruins in front of Mist’s house—you know, just the other day, I could have sworn there was an entrance next to that old tree, down that path!”

“Is that so...” Kross responded, preoccupied with farming his crops but still attentive to his and Raguna’s conversation. The prospect of doing any more fighting made Kross sick to his stomach. But, strangely, he didn’t mind it when Raguna talked about it. “Have you asked Sister Stella of it?”

“Hm, not yet. I wouldn’t want her to worry, in any case... But, it couldn’t hurt to ask around, I think. Maybe Selphy knows something about i—”

_“Hey, Weber!”_

Kross felt sick just at that name.

He felt _sick_ to his stomach, and it took every strength in his body not to throw up or run back inside. His mind panicked right away. _They had found you¸_ the air whispered. _The Empire had found you, finally. Your time as Kross was over and done with. It was time to come home._

Oh, he felt sick. When Kross opened his mouth, truthfully, he didn’t know what would come out of it. An angry speech about how he would never return, a desperate plea for mercy? A cry for Raguna to go away and let him handle this alone.

But it wasn’t his own voice he heard speaking. “Oh—Brodik! It’s you again.”

... Did Raguna know this man?

It couldn’t be. When Kross finally whirled around and turned to look, he could see Raguna’s brow furrowed and concentrated, carefully watching the man. The man—Brodik, it seems—was not someone Kross recognized. Oh, he could tell a soldier from a mile away; the way he walked, the tattoo on his shoulder, and that sword, all indicate that he was an Empire’s soldier. It was easy to figure out what exactly this man was doing in Trampoli, of all places... It was a question of why

“Tsk, bothering one of the locals, huh? Despicable.” Brodik didn’t even *glance* his way, his gaze trained entirely on Raguna as he stood just a few inches in front of him. For his part, Raguna endured that intense gaze remarkably well. “I have halfa mind to report you to the local sister. Who knows—maybe being run outta town will be enough for you to return to the Empire! Ha! Ha ha ha!”

(He was definitely a soldier).

“He’s a good friend of mine, Brodik. I’m not bothering him—and I told you, I’m not Weber! My name is Raguna!”

“Sure, ‘Raguna’,” Brodik repeated in a snide tone, providing some visual air quotes as if to help prove his point. “And as if! Look at the poor guy! He looks like a ghost with you mucking around!”

That, Kross didn’t doubt in the slightest. His grip on his watering can made his knuckles turn white as now, and every part of his body was ready to fight for his life if the need arose. Raguna had all of his attention before—but now, the soldier was all Kross could focus on. If he needed to fight, then Kross would do it in a heartbeat.

Raguna stepped forward, his kind gaze turning harsh and serious. “Leave him out of this, Brodik,” Kross could hear the farmer say. “I won’t have you bothering him as well.”

Neither said a word for what felt like an eternity. The snarl on Brodik’s face turned even uglier, his eyes narrowed, and hands clenched into fist. He was getting ready for a fight, and at that moment, Kross could think nothing more than stepping in-between them and defending Raguna.

But just as soon as that snarl appeared did it go away, and Brodik’s mouth turned upward into a smirk. “You’re really gonna make me stay in this town for longer, huh,” he shot back. Bitterly, Kross noted. But the soldier laughed and turned around and walked away, waving his hand dismissively.

“Fine by me!” Brodik shouted. “Stall all you want, Weber! You’re coming back home one way or another!”

Kross didn’t pull his gaze away from Brodik for a long, long time—not even when he started to make his way back towards the inn, or when that defined appearance turned into a blurry mess of colors and shapes. Even when he was sure the soldier was as far away as he could possibly be, Kross did not look away. He didn’t realize he was staring for so long.

“What is with that guy... I can’t make any sense of him, honestly. Ah, but I’m sorry that he interrupted our ta—Kross?”

It was Raguna’s voice that snapped him out of it. “H-hm?” Kross’ tore his gaze away from path and faced Raguna properly again, blinking in surprise. “Forgive me, I hadn’t... I did not realize you were continuing to talk to me. What did you say?”

“I was just, talking about how confusing Brodik is.” Raguna’s shoulders started to relax again, and he went back to leaning against his fence, seemingly relaxed again. “He’s been pestering me about this whole ‘Weber’ thing for a few days now. I’m not sure what he’s trying to achieve... Kross, do you know him?”

“... No.” That wasn’t a lie, technically. Kross knew what Brodik most likely _was_ : a man made to believe that his empire was good and strong, that his Emperor knew what was best for the people and to never, _ever_ disobey an honor. But he had never met the man before.

Kross was especially thankful for that. “This is the first time I’ve talked to him...” he continued to say. “He is a stranger to me...”

His answer was as truthful as it could be without giving Raguna any unfortunate details. And it was quite truthful already...

But Kross noticed how long Raguna watched him, his eyes... Not mistrusting, no. Thoughtful. As if Kross had done or said something interesting. “I see,” Raguna said. “Well... Tell me if he starts to bother you, alright? He’s been pestering a couple of the villagers about me ever since he’s shown up—I’m pretty sure Melody’s had to throw him out of bathhouse a few times already... But let me know if he’s bothering you as well.”

Raguna smiled. Any hints, traces of harshness were utterly gone from his expression. It was just... warm. “Promise?”

“Of course,” Kross said—and he realized almost immediately how automatic that response was. There was no hesitation, no thought given beforehand, no worries about what might happen if he didn’t keep that promise. “O-of course, yes... I will let you know.”

That seemed to be enough for the farmer. “Thank you,” Raguna replied—and again, the thought that response might have been a strange one to give didn’t even appear in his mind.

But before he could dwell on it some more, though, Raguna was already pulling away from the fence. “I should start making my way back home, in any case. I get the feeling I should double-check my shipping bin before Rosetta finds a bunch of rocks in them again...”

A... strange thing to be careful of—but alas, there was no chance for Kross to press on the issue anymore. “I’ll see you tomorrow!” Raguna called out as he headed back home, tossing the carpenter a wave goodbye.

Again, Kross found himself staring at Raguna until he was sure the farmer was gone. Not from fear, though, but... regret, in a way, knowing that their time was over already. There would always be tomorrow, though, and that, at least, was something to look forward to.

But for now, that soldier occupied his mind. The excitement of seeing Raguna again tomorrow would stay with him for the rest of the day—and so would that panic, that _fear_ of being recognized one day and having to be dragged back home. Kross had always feared that day would come. But knowing that his past was slowly and surely catching up to him...

That night, he trained for the first time in a very long while.

...

In spite of all his efforts, Brodik’s appearance proved to have more of an effect on his being than Kross had initially hoped for. The Empire would always loom over him until his death—but Brodik was the rude reminder that one could never truly be safe from their past.

He turned back to old habits. Always keeping a sword close by as he slept in case he needed it, always looking over his shoulder at the slightest sound. Whereas before, a nightmare might have consisted doing some farmwork or taking a very long walk around the town, now Kross trained... Although, compared to his first days on the runs, these old habits didn’t haunt him nearly as much.

Raguna’s presence, as always, seemed like a welcome change to his routine. If Kross hadn’t known any better (and Brodik didn’t keep appearing once or twice to “keep Weber on his toes”), he might have thought nothing to be troubling the young man. He was still coming over during his usual time, a gift in his hand, eager to talk to Kross regardless of how either of their day went.

He could only imagine how someone like Raguna could stay so positive. In truth, he envied it—it was an awful thing to admit, but Kross wondered if the farmer’s case of amnesia might have caused such a positive outlook on life. It would be something he took with him to his grave, of course... But, he couldn’t help wondering from time to time.

Kross envied that part of him, yes... But, he liked to think Raguna had always been a kind and wonderful person. He could imagine it rather easily.

...

One warm summer day, when he found himself ending work early than expected, and when the evening sky turned into a lovely shade of orange and red, Kross decided to pay Raguna a visit.

It was selfish to admit, but Kross scarcely found himself visiting Raguna’s farm. And even when he did, it was usually for work; Raguna wanting his house expanded, or his shed to take up more lumber and stone, that sort of thing. Kross’ own days were busy with his own farm and his carpeting work, fixing things here and there at the other villagers’ requests. Compared to his old life as a soldier, being a carpenter wasn’t _as_ grueling—but it was tiring work all the time. Visiting Raguna... he had never had the time before.

But today had be different, hadn’t it?

.... Well, OK, today was _mostly_ the same as usual, with two key differences. One, the job at the library had taken much less time than Kross figured it would. It was easier to just expand the current bookshelves the library held now than make a dozen more bookshelves for it (much to Selphy’s disappointment).

Two—while Raguna _did_ visit at his usual time, preppy as ever, today’s meeting was cut short. Something about how he needed to fix up his current farm, although he wouldn’t give Kross a straight answer on that front. Raguna promised to come back tomorrow, of course, and make up for lost time. But Kross was... well...

 _Impatient_ never really fit him before, but now...

At the very least, with how often Raguna visited _his_ farm, it was only fair Kross returned that favor. That’s how Kross justified it, anyways. That’s the excuse he had saved up in his mind, in case he bumped into anyone on his way over. A brief visit to a friend’s farm was completely and utterly normal.

So, that’s exactly what Kross did. He took with him some essentials—the keys to his house, his gift for Raguna, his sword (just in case)—before he headed out, his pace quick. He had no doubt Raguna would be home, but even if he wasn’t, Kross had no qualms in waiting for him, if need be. Whatever trouble the farm had caused for Raguna this morning, surely, must have been dealt with by now. Surely.

Even with his quick pace, Kross reached Raguna’s farm in no time at all... And then he took a good look at it.

From the bridge alone, Kross could see the damage. There weren’t a lot of crops to be seen, but that was to be expected; summer was nearing its end, the air growing colder and the leaves changing color. It made sense that Raguna might have had less vegetables and fruits growing than when he did in the beginning.

What did not make sense was how many _branches_ and _stones_. They practically filled the whole plot up, occupying whatever free space wasn’t already claimed by a crop. The woods didn’t even match, he noted—there were darker branches in one corner, then lighter ones here, then dark ones there, and so on and so forth.

In the middle of all the carnage stood Raguna, his hammer held as if he was only getting rid of the stone for now. He was just in the middle of his swing when he seemed to have spotted Kross, and the surprise on his face nearly matched Kross’ own expression. “Oh—Kross? Is that you?”

“Unfortunately...” Kross answered, his eyes wide as he stepped closer to the edge of the plot and looked around. Even typhoons were more merciful with their damage. This... “This is a very strange look for your farm, Raguna...”

“Ah... Yeah, I guess you could say that.” His hammer rested to his side while Raguna rubbed the back of his neck almost sheepishly, taking another glance around his farm. “It didn’t look like this when I went to bed last night, if you can believe it.”

The thought of Raguna doing this to his own farm was, thankful, just ridiculous enough for Kross to dismiss it right away... Which, still left a question behind. “What happened?”

Raguna shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure. I wake up early this morning to start my day off right, and... well, this is the first thing I see when I leave out the door. I couldn’t tell you how things ended up like this...”

There was a brief pause, as if a thought came to Raguna, and he tipped his head to the side. “Although,” he began, “I could have sworn I heard someone laughing really loud last night before I went to bed. A really familiar laugh, at that...”

That narrowed the suspects significantly. “I imagine I’ve heard that same laugh as well...” Kross murmured, frowning at the thought. This was beyond simple pestering and taunting. If Brodik was really this determined to get ‘Weber’ back home... “I assume this is why you had to cut today short?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” Raguna’s expression turned more sheepish, his gaze darting down. “Sorry. I would have had this all done earlier, but I guess I took too long with errands, hm? But, don’t worry! I’ll make it up tomorrow!”

“You’re too kind...” Kross murmured, and with his words, came guilt. Guilt knowing that Brodik had mistaken Raguna for him, and that the farmer was paying dearly for it. Guilt, knowing that he could have spoken up earlier, taken that responsibility earlier, and saved Raguna some grief.

Guilt, knowing that even now, Kross found himself _hesitant_ to admit his identity. “Raguna.”

“Y-yes?”

“Allow me to ease your burden as much as I can... Let me clear up your farm for you.”

“Oh... Well, if you insist—w-wait!”

Something about Kross’ words must have flustered the young man. His blue eyes went wide, his expression nothing short of stupefied, and Kross could swear that there was a bit of pink on Raguna’s cheeks. “K-Kross, wait a minute! I couldn’t ask you to do this for me!”

“You did not ask,” Kross said reassuringly, already setting his sword aside while he held out his gift for Raguna to take. “I am offering to. There is a difference there... It is what I want to do, I assure you...”

The farmer stammered out in surprise still, although he instinctively grabbed hold of Kross’ gift and let him take his hammer and axe. Whether that was the shock stopping him from speaking out or a silent agreement, Kross could not tell. And, he realized, it did not matter right away. “Kross... Y-you really don’t have to do this for me.”

“I do not,” Kross conceded, as he stepped in front of the first rock in his path. With the axe secured on his back for branches later, Kross raised the hammer up high (it weighed little to him) and brought it down hard. Shattering the rock in one fell swoop until only stone remained. “But I want to. You... You have been kind to me. I know you do so without expecting any sort of reward, but—but let me do something kind for you in return.”

He didn’t know what sort of expression Raguna bore on his face; whether he was more upset than flustered, or if he was still completely shocked...

But after a moment, he could hear Raguna sigh in defeat. “Alright,” the farmer said. “Please, let me know when you’re tired so I can take over. It’s the least I can do! ... Oh—and what would you like me to do with this?”

“It’s yours.”

“... It’s mine?”

“I made you something,” Kross clarified. It was his turn to become flustered now; he did a better job keeping his composure, but Kross could swear his cheeks started to become pink as well. “Curry rice. You’ve made me food countless of times before, I... wanted to return that favor as well. I hope you enjoy it.”

For a moment, not a word was said, and in that silence, Kross dreaded to hear Raguna’s response. Always the pessimistic, always fearful, dreading that one bit of rejection that would finally push Raguna away. It would come one day, Kross knew for sure—and in that moment of silence, he feared the day had finally come.

But then he heard the most _wonderful_ thing: he heard a laugh, as warm as the sun and filled with cheeriness and joy. And though he could not see Raguna’s face, Kross was positive he bore that same bright, kind smile. “I already know it’ll taste amazing,” Raguna said. “Thank you, Kross.”

...

Mentally, Kross was in just about one of the best state of minds he had been in a very long time. When he opened his eyes up the next morning, he felt... well, he felt at peace. Happy, almost. He had gone to bed with Raguna’s smile on his mind, and when he woke up, that visage was still there to greet him. So, mentally, Kross was doing rather well.

Physically, his body hated him.

Carpenter didn’t exactly translate to superhuman, unfortunately, and while he had managed to clear out Raguna’s farm before nightfall, it was _still_ dark out when he finished. His body ached as Kross tried to move his body around, and each hint of movement made him hiss from pain. The next time he did this, he would need to take more breaks between his work. As it stood right now, though?

It had been more than worth it.

A visit the bathhouse was a must today. For later, of course. Kross resigned himself to a day inside for the most part, a chance to rest longer than he usually did. He was even considering taking a nap, almost ready to slip back into his bed, under the covers, and sleep for just an hour more.

‘Almost ready’, though. For right when Kross stood up from his dining table did he hear his front door knock and any chance of rest seemed cruelly, hopelessly brushed away... Temporarily.

“Package for you, Kross!”

At least it wasn’t work related. His joints and muscles ached from pain, just by him shuffling towards the front door, but Kross bore through all the same time. When he opened the door and was greeted with the mailwoman’s bright smile and usual wooly company, Kross wondered if his own fatigue seemed obvious to her. “Yes, Anette?”

“Package for you!” Annette repeated. “A special delivery at that! In fact, I just got the package hand-delivered to me just a few seconds ago. And now I’m delivering it to you, personally! I almost wish all my deliveries were like...”

“I see... Will you tell me what the delivery is?”

“Hm... I think it’d be better for you to see for yourself—hey! Get your face outta there!” Annette cruelly pushed one of the Woolies’ face out of her mail satchel, huffing in frustration. “Don’t try and eat it! My pay can’t afford to reimburse him!”

“Annette. The special package?”

“Right, right!” She shot one final glare to unashamed Wooly before opening up her bag. Annette searched her bag for what seemed only a few seconds, until her face lit up and she pulled out the special delivery.

Even with the wrapping paper carefully enveloping it, Kross could tell in an instant what it was.

“This is a... “Any lingering feelings of pain and discomfort were gone the second Kross carefully took the Cat Tail in his hands, in complete and utter shock. It looked as if it had been freshly picked that morning, beautifully vibrant and healthy, without a single red tuff out of place. And yet, Kross still held it as if it was the most delicate thing in the world, cradling it close. “This is... for me?”

Kross managed to pry his eyes away from the Cat Tail and lifted his head up to meet Annette’s gaze. Tried, of course, because once he did raise his head, he noticed how... for lack of a better term, how _teasing_ her expression became. “W-what?”

“Nothing,” Annette said, her tone as innocent as her Wooly followers. “Nothing at all, hehe. I just had a feeling you would like it a lot. _He_ seemed nervous when he handed it to me, but I knew my intuition was right!”

She hadn’t even said his name, and already, that wonderful smile came to mind again. And just like that, his face felt warm again. “I-I see... Would, you mind giving him my thanks?”

Annette ‘hmmed’ at his words, one finger tapping at her chin while she seemed to give it some thought. “Weeeeeeell... I _guess_ I could make it work. It’ll be on the way to Mist’s house, anyways.”

She turned on heel, her monster companions mimicking her movement eerily well, and they all start to make (or, more accurately, dash) their way back home... Although, Annette did not leave without exclaiming, “Make sure you tell him ‘thanks’ yourself, though! He’ll be home all day, y’know!”

How _she_ knows that, Kross could only wonder.

The door was closed with a gentle _click_! before Kross started to hurry towards the kitchen. Even if it were freshly picked this morning, the flower would need a good vase to stay in, water to hydrate its stems, the perfect spot for it to get sunlight... He could do all that by the time morning was over. And then...

And then, maybe, it would be nice to visit Raguna a second time.


	3. Fall

The nightmares refused to leave Kross’ mind just yet... But, they were becoming less frequent.

A part of it, he attributed to the change of seasons. Summer was stifling and uncomfortable, but Autumn was much nicer. It was an odd mixture of summer and winter, he found. It was still warm enough outside that it wasn’t quite winter _just yet_ , but much cooler than the dry wind that always passed by summer. Fall meant more work as always, with people wanting everything fixed and improved upon before the harsh winter came. It meant he could open his window in peace, without that stagnant air coming through it and making it only harder to sleep.

Fall, he noticed in a bittersweet way, was a good substitute for winter. The chill in the air and the drop of temperatures were something of a comfort for Kross, a man too used to the harshness of winter. Winter would always remind him of home, and at his darkest moments, it almost made him homesick. Fall allowed him to enjoy the cold without the constant reminder of home.

But it wasn’t just the change of season that made his nights easier.

Raguna was still there, and he was still insistent on seeing Kross on a near-daily basis. And by now, Kross _welcomed it_. Those feelings of undeserving still lingered of course—but it was much easier to push those thoughts away when Raguna always left with a promise to return tomorrow.

He made it much easier to fall asleep and wake up. He made it easier to go through his day, without needing to worry about anything else. Raguna... he made Kross feel deserving of his kindness.

And perhaps, it wasn’t so bad if Kross indulged himself just this once.

...

One night, the nightmares did return.

Dreams of ghosts, crying and screaming for their lives, for mercy, for their Empire and for their Empire to come and save them. Dreams of fallen comrades asking him why he was still alive, when he couldn’t even bring himself to stay home and face his consequences like a true soldier. Dreams of carnage and war and death, all while Weber stood in the middle of it all, stained red from head to toe.

Oh, those dreams would never leave him. A soldier like himself would never be clean from it and tonight was cruel reminder.

It was the same old song and dance. Those nightmares would come back, and on nights such as this, when they were especially cruel, Kross had to leave his bed. It was a routine by now, an old habit, an old friend. And tonight, it had started no different. When Kross could finally peel himself away from his bed, he made a grab for his shoes first and put them on first. He thought of grabbing his coat as well but Fall in Trampoli was nowhere nearly as bad as to how sheer cold it was in the Empire. His keys, his boots, his sword—that was all he needed for his walk.

Kross let his feet take him down the familiar path, with no destination in mind. The church, of course, would always welcome a damaged man like himself... But, tonight, he saw no reason to go there. Tonight, he just wanted to walk. A simple, quiet walk with just himself and the Runeys, a chance for him to clear his mind so he could go back to bed.

A plan that went straight out the window the second he stepped into Raguna’s farm and he saw that the farmer’s lights were on.

It wasn’t the first time he spotted it on his nightly walks—and it wasn’t the first time that Kross found himself stopping in his tracks, and considering knocking on that wooden door. Oh, it always tempted him to—if Raguna was still awake, after all, what harm was there for them to spend a few more minutes with each other? And Raguna—Raguna’s smile would always bring him a moment of peace.

It would be so horribly selfish to take up Raguna’s time just so Kross could feel better about himself... But just the same, it would be so _nice_ jut to hear him talk in that cheerful tone of his, laugh with that bright and wonderful voice. It would be selfish to want that with how late it was... But, if the lights were still on, then maybe—

“I’m not home,” Raguna spoke up.

It wasn’t often that Kross was used to people sneaking up on him.

Were it not for the fact that he recognized Raguna’s voice right away, Kross might have drawn his sword on him. As it stood, though, a simple jump backward sufficed for now, with Kross quickly turning back around to face the source. He easily found Raguna not horribly far from his current location, sitting comfortably on top of a fallen tree log.

“I probably should have said something sooner, huh?” Raguna admitted as he stifled a laugh. “Sorry.”

It wasn’t exactly how Kross imagined his nightly walk. But he was far from mad and, eventually, his heartbeat went back to normal. “You’re up late,” Kross noted. “You are also outside this late at night instead of being indoors...”

“Heh, so I am. And so are you,” Raguna shot back at Kross’ words, nodding his way. “I had some difficulty getting to bed, I’m afraid. I thought some fresh air might help me. What about you?”

“... More of the same, really.” His ‘difficulty’ was no doubt different from Raguna’s own issues, but there was no need to go over that just yet. Or at all, if he could help it.

“If... you do not mind my presence, may I join you?”

Kross was barely finished speaking before Raguna gave him an answer. An excited “Absolutely!” slipped out from him, and the farmer wasted no time in shuffling closer to one end of the log to make some room for him. “I would love to have your company, Kross. Maybe it’ll help the both of us fall back asleep, huh?”

Kross could feel the corners of his lips tug without his meaning to, and without a hit of hesitation, he started to walk over. “That would be a lovely thought...”

The log was enough to fit one farmer just fine, but Kross quickly realized that having two young on top of it made things rather... snug. The tree wouldn’t break underneath their combined weight, not at all—but even after Raguna scooted to the side as an effort to make room, they were still awful close. Closer than he had ever been to Raguna before.

Their knees bumped against each other as Kross settled down next to him, their shoulders almost doing the same were it not for Kross carefully adjusting himself to the other side of the log. The same could not be said for their hands, however. Kross tried his very best to avoid any contact (for his own sake more than anything), but he had no choice but to rest his hands just _inches_ away from Raguna’s own. How nice it would be, to rest his hand on top of his instead of keeping it away...

“... It’s, a little more snug than I expected,” Raguna admitted, almost as flustered as Kross felt. “I hope you don’t mind.”

The only answer Kross could give him was a shake of his head. He could speak up, of course, but his voice might come out as flustered as Raguna’s.

“That’s, good, then! I’m glad that you’re... Kross.”

That was not how he expected that sentence to end. Kross lifted his head up to glance at Raguna, surprised. “Yes...?”

“I... I need to confess something.”

Oh, Raguna needed to confess something.

_Oh, Raguna needed to confess something._

Truthfully, Kross didn’t know _what_ expression he was making—but whatever it was, it seemed to only fluster Raguna even more, his hands held out in front of him while his face turned a shade pinker. “N-nothing serious!” he explained (to Kross’ simultaneous relief and disappointment). “Nothing bad, or a-anything like that! I.. I wasn’t sure if I should have told you this earlier, but now seems like the right time to.”

“I... Earlier today, Brodik approached me,” Raguna started. “I think he’s finally run out of ideas, because he told me to show up at the Green Ruins tomorrow and end this whole thing once and for all. He said we’ll fight for my ‘freedom’ tomorrow. And if I win, then he’ll finally leave town and will never bother us ever again.... But if I _lose_ —then I have no choice but to return to the Empire with him, as Brodik was assigned to do.”

And just like that, his heart _dropped_ towards his stomach and his chest was filled with unbridled _panic_ and _fear._ “ _You can’t fight him,_ ” Kross spoke without even realizing it, those words spilling out of him without thought. “Raguna—you _cannot_ fight him...!”

For a moment, it seemed as if Raguna was caught to off-guard to respond to Kross’ outburst, leaning back in surprise. But the surprise didn’t stay for long, and soon, that look of determined, of strengthen resolve showed in his blue eyes. “I have to fight him! I can fight him, Kross! I agreed to the duel in the first place!”

“ _But you cannot fight him_.” It did not matter to him whether or not Raguna was strong enough to fight on equal terms with Brodik. It didn’t matter if this wasn’t the first time he had ever faced an Empire soldier.

The thought of Raguna being taken back to that forsaken country was nothing short of _terrifying_. Damn it... _Damn it_. “Raguna, you must reconsider this _. You are not Weber_ —you should not be paying for his sins. I should be—”

“ _Don’t_.”

That was enough to shut Kross up. It left him utterly speechless. Raguna’s voice wasn’t firm or strict in the slightest—in fact, it seemed _desperate_ , almost as fearful as Kross’ own. As if Raguna was afraid of what Kross had to confess, finally. As if he didn’t want him to.

“Don’t,” he begged, and it dawned on Kross rather quickly that Raguna was squeezing his hand. “Don’t... Let me handle this, please. As far as Brodik is aware, I am Weber. If I win, then, he’ll leave Weber alone, right?”

“... Please, let me do this,” Raguna continued, his gaze lowering down towards their joined hands. “I know it’s selfish of me to ask of this... But, I want to.”

Selfish. Here Kross was, letting someone else answer for his crimes, hiding behind them like a coward, running away just like he did before. Here, Kross felt selfish—and yet, Raguna described himself with that same word.

It almost Kross laugh, how ironic it all was. A bittersweet huff escaped him, and there was a slight tremble to his form, fearing what might come to pass, all because of his own weakness—and yet, he refused to let go of Raguna’s hand. “... Let me come with.”

He did not let Raguna respond, holding up his free hand to stop him from speaking up. “If I can’t convince you not to fight,” Kross continued, “then let me go with you. The Empire trains their soldiers well, and even if you win, you will have some wounds that need attending to... And if you lose...”

He squeezed Raguna’s hand. “Then I will answer to my crimes once and for all... But I don’t want you to face this alone. So, please, if you will let me...”

Silence blanketed over them both, and Kross didn’t know what sort of response he wanted out of this. He would not blame Raguna for rejecting his offer in the slightest, especially after everything Kross had done (and what he hadn’t done). It would be undeserving of him to get a yes...

But Raguna, wonderful Raguna, just smiled warmly at him, and squeezed his hand back. “Alright,” he finally said. “We’ll go and face Brodik together, then... But, you have to promise me to cheer me on from the sides, alright?”

“Of course...” It was nowhere near as bright and lovingly as Raguna’s—but Kross slowly managed to give his own, small and brief, but a smile still. Tomorrow was utterly terrifying to even imagine, to say nothing of the days that will come afterwards... But, they had tonight at least. “Raguna?”

“Yes?”

“Stay with me for a little bit longer. It’s late enough, but just for a few minutes more, if you would please...”

There was a moment of silence between the two, unbearable silence that Kross would never want to experience ever again in his life. And then, just as quickly as it came, was that silence broken by the sound of Raguna’s voice. “Of course.”

...

For a fighting spot, the basement of the Green Ruins seemed more than ideal.

A soldier like himself always paid attention to these sort of details, knowingly or not. It was something that they were trained to notice, a way to give themselves over their enemy regardless of species. It was something Kross was taught long ago by the Empire, and he held no doubts that Brodik was taught the same exact thing.

Hopefully, that meant all that preparation wouldn’t go to waste. If the training regiment offered by the Empire really hadn’t changed since Kross’ departure, then that should mean Raguna knew what to expect... for the most part of course. If perhaps he had seen Brodik fighting before, or maybe had a clue as to what his last mission was—that might give Raguna more of an edge for their battle.

He could only hope Raguna wouldn’t need it.

“Ha! Weber! You’ve come at last!” Brodik loudly announced to the empty audience as the pair walked in, both hands on his hips. “And here I thought you were just going to run away again. Good! Saves me the trouble of hunting you down! Ha! Ha ha!”

That laugh echoed too much with how empty this whole room was. “Let’s settle this once and for all, Brodik,” Raguna shot back (in a decidedly not-completely-loud voice). It was... inspiring, how confident Raguna seemed now. “Just the two of us, alright?”

“Yeah, sure. I’m guessing your boyfriend’s just here for emotional support. Good thing, ‘cause you’re gonna need it once you lose! Wahahaha!”

(... Should Kross have been offended by that, he wondered).

“S-sure.” It had managed to fluster Raguna a fair bit, although whether that was because of the implication of Brodik’s words or because of regular jitters was hard to tell. Whatever the case, it didn’t shake his resolve.

Kross watched Raguna ready himself, pulling his spear from its holster. If Brodik used a sword (and, most likely, his fist as well), then Kross reasoned that using a long-distance weapon would give Raguna an advantage. Truthfully, it took quite a lot of willpower for him to _not_ jump in front of Raguna and offer to fight Brodik in return.

But he had been talked out of it already... Twice, in fact. “Remember what we went over this morning,” Kross murmured in a low tone, eyeing Brodik with suspicious and worry. “You’ve fought more monsters than humans, have you not? It will be a different sort of battle, Raguna.”

“I know, I know,” Raguna said with fond exasperation, smiling back Kross. “And I will be careful as well. I’ve fought worse, Kross, believe me—”

“Are you two still saying goodbye to each other?! Tsk. Aren’t you the romantic one, Weber... I’m going to fall asleep at this rate, could you hurry it up already!”

“... As I said, I’ve fought worse,” Raguna repeated, less fond and twice as exasperated. But that did not stop him from reaching back and taking hold of Kross’ hand, squeezing it one more time.

“I’ll do just fine, don’t worry,” he assured. “I’ll win this one for the both of us. I promise.”

 _You shouldn’t make such promises for me_. It was right at the tip of his tongue, it wouldn’t be so hard to speak up and say it... But instead, Kross could only smile, believe in that promise just for this moment, and squeeze his hand in return. “Thank you, Raguna... I wish you luck.”

“I won’t need it.” He was reluctant in pulling his hand away, but Raguna flashed him a cocky smile before turning back towards Brodik. “Let’s do this, Brodik! You won’t lay a scratch on me!”

...

...

...

“O-ow!”

“Be still,” Kross gently chided. He soaked the rag in some more alcohol before he pressed it against Raguna’s wound again, holding it securely in spite of his fidgeting. “You’re only dripping more of it on the floor...”

“S-sorry—ow!” He could hear Raguna curse under his breath as he fidgeted some more. “Sorry... I’ll, clean it up once you’re done.”

“You will not... Even if this is your floor, I’ll clean it up myself. You should rest.”

Raguna’s house had been the closest spot for them to rest after the battle... Well, technically, the infirmary might have been a closer (and thus, wiser) choice for them to pick. But Raguna had insisted on going straight home—something about being afraid of Lana’s anger once she realized he got hurt again in battle. Kross had personally see Lana in anger to begin with, but he took Raguna’s word for it and had carefully guided him all the way home.

He would budge on the location, that much could be said. What Kross would not budge on, however, was leaving Raguna to tend to his own wounds. _That_ , he would remain stubborn on.

“I warned you to watch for his sword attacks,” Kross continued to chide as he carefully pressed a piece of gauze over Raguna’s wound. He held it in place with one hand, while the other made a blind grab for the bandages. “You were lucky he only cut your arm and not your ear off...”

“I know, I know,” Raguna murmured, resting his hand on his hips while making sure his arm was open for Kross to bandage up. “Although... if you ask me, I think he was holding back.”

“He was,” Kross easily conceded. “The Empire tells us to fight until our enemy breathes their last breath, or until we do... If he truly wanted you injured, he would have done so... But, I sense he had given up on his mission by then.”

Raguna stayed quiet, resting his head on his hand as he looked towards the front door. “... What will happen to him?”

“A formal reprimand, most likely. But nothing beyond that. Failure to complete a mission will always bring shame to the soldier. But I suspect, with them sending out one lone soldier, this mission is not important to the Empire. He will be reprimanded by his superior for failing to find me, and then be assigned to the next mission right afterwards.”

Kross spoke as if from experience, but truthfully, his sudden departure was the only act of insubordination he had ever done. He had stayed obedient to the Empire in hopes of bringing glory to his name, for his Emperor—and perhaps, if it hadn’t been for that night, he might have stayed that way.

Betraying his country like that would always remain a sin of his past, along with all the others he’s committed. But Kross would repeat it again if he needed to.

The living room went quiet again, but if Kross seemed to notice it, then it didn’t stop his work. Carefully did he wrap the bandages around Raguna’s forearm, making sure not to move his arm in such a way that it was painful. At one point, he looked up, just to make sure Raguna wasn’t in pain—

And that was when he noticed Raguna looking back at him with a fond smile. “W-what?”

“Hm?” was all Raguna responded with at first, before finally snapping out of his own trance. That smile stayed, however. “Oh, nothing, nothing... I was going to say, you’re awful doting when you want to—but you were busy, and I didn’t want to break your concentration.”

“... Doting?” That was a new one... But Kross did not mind it. He cleared his throat and brushed his hair back, trying to stop his cheeks from turning any pinker than they already were. “.... Complimenting me isn’t going to change my mind on you getting rest, Raguna.”

“Ha ha... Aah, it was worth a try, huh?”

“Unfortunately not,” Kross coldly remarked as he carefully finished up with Raguna’s arm. Once he was done with that, he walked back in front of Raguna, tearing off a piece of gauze and bandage so he could bandage up another wound. “... But, thank you.”

“I don’t mind,” Raguna said, blue eyes shining as they looked up at Kross. “I didn’t mean anything bad by it, really. It... fits you, I think.”

Oh, why did that make his heart beat so quick? “I... Thank you, Raguna.”

“Hm? No worries—I told you, Kross, I don’t mind i—”

“No, not that,” Kross quickly said. “Thank you for... everything.”

He was fidgeting with the gauze in his hand, picking it apart without meaning to. He needed his hands to be busy with something, though, least he does something very stupid here. “You... You’ve been nothing but kind to me since the day we first met. Even after I pushed you away, you still wanted to talk to me. Even though it was not your battle to fight, you still did it for my sake.” His gaze darted down to the unraveled clump of gauze in his hand, finding it the most interesting thing in the world right about now.

“You have been wonderful and gracious towards me, and I—I cannot fathom why, truly, but I wanted to let you know that I—”

A kiss stopped Kross from rambling any further.

He hadn’t even realized that Raguna had gotten out of his seat until he felt the man’s lips pressed against his own. He didn’t even realize it was Raguna at first until his eyes registered who was in front of him, why that sun-kissed tan and that short brown hair looked decidedly familiar to him. And Kross was all but oblivious to the fact that _Raguna was kissing_ _him_ until he realized his face had gone bright, bright red like a cherry’s and his heart was beating so hard, he was sure Raguna could hear it too.

And once he realized what it was, Kross didn’t dare pull away.

Raguna did, after a few seconds (or an eternity) seemed to pass. Raguna pulled away from the kiss and blue eyes stared warmly at Kross as he said, “Because I love you.”

A bandaged hand reached up and cupped Kross’ cheek, and he wasted no time in leaning right into Raguna’s hand. “Because I love you,” Raguna repeated, and those words still felt like a dream. “I love you, Kross... And no matter what happens—I want to stay by your side.”

 _I love you_. Three little words that made Kross feel _wonderful_.

Kross chuckled, soft and short but _happy_ and _warm_ , in a way that he hadn’t felt in such a long time. “To think, you would fall for a broken man like myself... If that is truly what you wish...”

He learned forward, until their foreheads were pressed together and Kross could make out Raguna’s wonderful eyes through his black hair. “I... I love you too, Raguna. I’ll stay by your side for as long as you’ll have me.”

And just like that, Raguna’s face lit up like the stars, his blue eyes shining, sparkling, _happy._ “Then will you stay with me, just for tonight at least?”

“Of course.


	4. Winter

Raguna would like to believe he was knowledgeable in farming. He had already run one successful farm, after all—running the second one should have been a breeze! And, in some ways, it was. The soil here was practically the same as it was before (if a bit more Runey-dependent), so Raguna easily managed a plan for each season. Spring would be about getting any income, Summer and Fall could be used to expand his farmhouse, and Winter... well, Winter could be mining. That had been the initial plan.

And then he met Kross.

And then he got into a serious _relationship_ with Kross.

And then Sister Stella was coy enough to ‘share’ her knowledge on how to propose to someone.

And see, that’s where everything went wrong.

Getting blue roses to grow this late in the year was proving to be nothing short of difficult for him. Oh, he knew the very basics of how to get them (thanks to Stella, of course), but that wasn’t the issue. The issue was a matter of time. He had assumed that the roses had been planted with just enough time to spare for the festival day, enough time for Raguna to ask Kross to join him that night and to hopefully have everything ready by then.

Imagine his surprise, then, when the day came, when Raguna hurried his way all over to the Whale Island to collect his blue roses for the bouquet—and imagine, then, he saw that they were _still_ _white._

That, unfortunately, was an issue.

“... So, you can’t substitute the white roses in for the blue ones?” Mist repeated back, stirring her tea around once the milk and sugar was added in. “Milk and sugar?”

“Oh—um, no thanks, Mist,” Raguna kindly declined, staring at the white roses laid in front of him with what could only be described as... frustration. “And I _could_ , but that’s not they do it in Trampoli, unfortunately. And I want this to be special for him, too. I suppose I could wait until tomorrow and hope the rest of the batch are finished, but...”

“But you want this to be a special memory for him.”

“... Yes.”

“Well... what about other flowers?” Mist took a quick sip from her tea cup, tipping her head to the side. “You could always make your bouquet special, by making it your own way even! I’m sure you could make something to blow out all the other flowers out of the park!”

“Do you really think so?”

“Hm... No. But I figured it couldn’t hurt trying!”

... Well, she had a point there. It couldn’t hurt. “Alright, alright,” Raguna said as he got up from his seat. “Where do you keep your flowers, Mist? I’ll see what you have and go from there.”

“Right this way—oh, mind the Wooly food. I need to feed them before Annette goes out for her rounds again!”

...

If nothing else, Mist had more than enough flowers to ensure Raguna had options when it came to his bouquet. No blue roses, unfortunately, but she had lilies and sunflowers, and even cat tails, just in case! And there was even enough for Raguna to use what he pleased without using up Mist’s entire supply.

Where exactly she got all those flowers, he’d never know... But, sometimes, it was better not to.

In any case, Raguna got straight to work. Mist sat by and gave him encouragement and tea while Raguna meddled around with the arraignments. He was... picky, truthfully. He would add one flower it before taking it out, and then he added it right back in once he realized it still added something. Sometimes he would go with colors that were nearly the same, sometimes he would go for total opposites, and sometimes, he would go for colors that clashed, but in a good way (he hoped).

Perhaps he was putting too much time and effort into it—truthfully, he could just show up with a bouquet of cat tails and _only_ cat tails, and that would be enough for Kross... But, Raguna wanted this to be special. Something to get a smile that was practically ear to ear, or at the very least, the biggest one he’s gotten from Kross yet.

Raguna wanted to give him the world if he could—but until then, a bouquet would have to suffice. And he wanted to make sure it did.

“Alright... I think I’m done, Mist!”

“Hm?” Mist looked up from her book, blinking in surprise. “You’re done?”

“I think so, yeah!” Raguna carefully lifted his bouquet up from the table and held it out for Mist to see, as if he was offering it to her. “I added some yellow peonies here and then, a couple of red carnations here—err, maybe they’re pink... And um, some purple violet lilies here, some bright green flowers—I think they’re magentas maybes... Oh, and I added in the white roses and some cat tails to go along!”

He pulled down the bouquet down to look at Mist, hope, bright hope in his eyes. “Well? What do you think of it?”

“... Hm,” was all Mist said at first before a thoughtful look crossed her face. “So this is why they tell us to follow the recipe...”

“... H-huh?!”

“It never really clicked for me before why I should—but I get it now!” Mist smiled brightly, cheery. “I think we both learned a valuable lesson here!”

If Whale Island came to life and swallowed him whole, Raguna still thought it more merciful than Mist’s words. He deflated right then and there, his heart crushed into hundreds and hundreds of pieces. “Tha... thank you for your help, Mist.”

“No problem!” Mist easily replied, her smile growing one more size (while Raguna’s pride shrunk to an all-time low). Her eyes started to return back to her book, having done a good job of assisting Raguna. But she perked up at the sound of footsteps coming down the stair and without a single pause, spoke up, “Oh, Annette! Did you enjoy your nap?”

“As well as I could with a buncha Woolies trying to get into my mailbag the entire time,” grumbled the mailwoman, grabbing her hat off the hat rack. It was only then that she seemed to notice Raguna and, mercifully, not the creation in his hand. “Oh, hi, Raguna! Are you and Kross going out on the Night of Ho—”

“Annette! I need your help!” Raguna quickly hurried in front of Annette, holding out the bouquet so that she could take a closer look herself. “This bouquet—what do you think of it?”

Nothing else was said for a very, very long time. Raguna waited and waited for Annette to respond with something, _anything_ about the bouquet. He waited, and waited, and waited...

And finally, she responded. “... Well, it doesn’t look awful.”

“... And?” Raguna prodded further. “And?”

“... It doesn’t look _awful_ ,” Annette said after another eternity of silence.

“A-Annette! Don’t do this to me!”

“Well, what do you want me to say?!”

“Something else! I ... Oh, I’m doomed.” The bouquet of failure was tossed aside and Raguna slumped back in his seat, head in his hands as he fought off the urge to dig a hole and climb in there until tomorrow. “I just wanted to do something special for him, show how much means he means to me.”

He could hear Annette sigh and after a few seconds, he could feel her giving his shoulder a few good reassuring pats. “You’re overthinking it! I’m sure no matter what you give him, he’ll love it. So long as it comes from the heart, y’know? Besides, you can’t let a silly bouquet get in the way of you proposing to him!”

“... Do you really think so, Annette?” Raguna asked.

“Sure! Besides, think of it this way—what’s the worst that’ll happen? Him breaking up with you? Phbt, please. The worst thing that could happen is Whale Island falls down on the ground and kills you _before_ you could even propose!”

“Ooh! Or—” Mist eagerly started to add, “Or, all the Runey’s around you burst into flames and the whole tree explodes _before_ you propose! That’s the worst thing that could happen, too!”

“Exactly! See, Mist and I know what’s up!”

There was a pause. There was a very, very long pause, as if Raguna was taking the time to reflect on all of his life choices as he leaned back in his seat and reflected on everything. And then, finally, he said, “I’m completely doomed.”

...

Never before in his life was Raguna filled with so much excitement and dread before.

He had shown up a few minutes earlier, per usual, to calm his nerves down before the start of their date. They were especially bad tonight, fingers fidgeting every so often while his body refused to stay still. He kept pacing, back and forth, back and forth, to the point that all of the footsteps he made kept getting erased without his meaning to. The weather could not be more perfect, the timing couldn’t be better—everything about this felt like the perfect chance to reveal his true feelings for Kross.

If only it hadn’t been for those blue roses! Argh, goddam—“Raguna.”

 _“Kross!”_ Right, right, quiet as a ghost— _right._

Oh, he still needed to get use to that. Regardless—Raguna whirled around and faced Kross right away, his smile betraying how flustered he actually was being caught off guard... Again. “Sorry, sorry! I didn’t hear your footsteps... Um, you’re early!”

“I didn’t want to keep you waiting. Especially with how cold and dark tonight is...” In spite of Raguna’s jumpy nature, Kross did not seem to mind it. Far from it. He could see the carpenter smiling behind his bangs as he made his way over, besides Raguna. “Have you been waiting long?’

“Ah... No, no, not at all. I wouldn’t mind, anyways.” Something about Kross’ presence always made Raguna feel calm. He could forget about everything that had happened with his ‘bouquet’. It didn’t matter, right now. “You’re not cold?” Raguna asked, gently grabbing hold of Kross’ hand... Just to hold them.

It wasn’t long before Kross did the same. “Not at all,” he answered. “The Empires has had worser winters than this one. This, is nothing for me.”

Raguna watched as Kross turned his head this way and that, realizing that the man was looking over the Runey’s. The air was filled with them, and it was the most Runeys Raguna had ever seen in his life... And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to look away from the man next to him.

“I’ve always watched the festival from afar,” Kross continued in a low voice. “Often in the safety of my home, or outside near my crops... This is the first time I have ever gotten a better look at it, with someone else.” He squeezed his hand tightly, and then admitted, “I am happy to spend it with you, Raguna.”

This night was already becoming special enough... Would it matter, truly, if nothing else was perfect? The flowers were still in his bouquet, perhaps—

“Ah, that reminds me... Annette mentioned that picnics are usually held during the Night of Holies.” Kross pulled his hand away and took a step back—and Raguna watched, as he knelt down into the snow and began to take things out of his satchel, such as... food?

“There is not much left, but... I made curry rice for us both.” Kross handed Raguna a bowl covered in a piece of a cloth, and when he unfurled it, he found exactly that—curry rice, still warm to the touch. “You can eat it now, if you would like. Or eat it tomorrow, as lunch? ... Raguna?”

Raguna hadn’t realized he was just staring at the bowl this entire time, not until Kross said his name. That snapped him out of it and the farmer blinked in surprise, looking back towards Kross. “Oh! Sorry, I started to space out there. I just...”

Raguna chuckled softly to himself. “I’m very happy, is all. Being able to spend time with the man I love, on a night like this—I feel very lucky.” He knelt down in front of Kross, being careful not to spill any of the rice on the ground.

He raised his head up, and the sight of Kross’ cheeks, bright red, made his smile grow even more. “Let’s eat, huh?”

...

They ate in silence, and Raguna did not mind it in the slightest. He was usually the one to keep the conversation alive, with Kross saying a few words or nodding here and there. It worked just fine with him, really. He knew, no matter what, that Kross was listening in—and if just listening to Raguna ramble on and on about whatever made him happy somehow, then that was fine by him.

It was a little while before the perfect opportunity came up again. After they both finished their meals, the pair stayed sitting in the snow and just... relaxed and enjoyed each other’s presence. It was all they really needed, and Raguna was fine just letting this moment go on for the rest of the night.

“By the way... what is that, poking out of your backpack?”

Damn it. Any relaxation Raguna had snuck in was gone by now, replaced by the undeniable feeling of embarrassment and panic. “Oh—you, um, noticed it, huh? I guess it’s not that hard to miss, huh... Um.”

He may as well pull it off like a bandage, huh. Raguna took in a breath before he slowly, reluctantly, opened his backpack up and pulled the mystery item.

There was no way he was going to use that old bouquet for a night such as this... But, he had no blue flowers to speak of to make the true thing... So... “It’s a white flower bouquet,” Raguna explained. “It’s, technically just a bunch of white roses with some other flowers, but, you understand what I’m going for, right?”

Carefully, Kross took the bouquet offered to him, his eyes wide from surprise and shock. And they stayed just as wide as they looked up at him, almost hesitant. “Raguna...”

That look was enough. Well. May as well keep going, then. “Kross... I, love you,” Raguna began. “I’ve loved you for a long time now, actually, but last season, I... I knew for sure that you were the only one for me. I-I know that there might always be people looking for you, and even now, I don’t know entirely what happened between you and the Empire... But.

“I _do_ know that despite what you might think—I know that you’re a wonderful and kindhearted man who deserves a second chance. And no matter what happens... I want to be there next to you. Even if it means fighting off Empire soldiers for the rest of our lives, I know there’s no one else out there who’ll make me feel this way.”

Carefully, Raguna reached for Kross’ hand again—and in spite of his fears telling him that he’d pull away, Kross let him take hold of it. “So, if... if you’ll have me,” Raguna slowly, hesitantly said, “would you do the honor of being my husband?”

Kross didn’t pull his hand away. He hadn’t said a word, either, but that might have been from the shock of it all. For a long, long time, silence took over the air around them, as if time itself had stopped. It was the longest seconds of his life—that fear of not knowing whether Kross would say yes or not being all Raguna could focus on. But he didn’t want to press him for an answer, no, never. Whatever Kross said, Raguna would accept it wholeheartedly. So, he waited. And he waited.

And then Kross broke into this wonderful, cheerful smile, the red on his face growing brighter by the seconds—and even in his eyes, hidden behind his hair, where shining like the stars themselves.

“I would love nothing more.”


End file.
